NASA Watch
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Independent blog tracking NASA programs and space sector news, often with insider commentary and analysis.
Recent Posts
Blog•Feb 25, 2026
Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel 2025 Annual Report Released
NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel released its 2025 annual report, spotlighting a new recommendation that NASA craft a comprehensive 20‑year strategic vision for space exploration and operations. The guidance stresses risk‑based decision‑making, clear communication, and defined criteria for make‑manage‑buy choices. It also calls for a detailed assessment of workforce skills, infrastructure needs, and partnership models with commercial and international actors. The panel argues this long‑term plan is essential to move NASA from a reactive posture to proactive governance.
By NASA Watch
Blog•Feb 24, 2026
Stealth Project Hail Mary Town Hall At NASA JPL?
NASA Watch reports an unofficial X announcement about a town‑hall meeting at JPL tied to the upcoming film “Project Hail Mary.” The post, shared by a fan‑run account, suggests NASA may be leveraging the movie for cross‑promotional PR, yet no...
By NASA Watch
Blog•Feb 23, 2026
Petition: SAVE NASA’s GENELAB
NASA’s Biological and Physical Sciences Directorate plans to reduce funding for the Open Science Data Repository (OSDR) and GeneLab, including the Sample Processing Laboratory (SPL), starting in 2025. OSDR currently houses nearly 600 studies, 1,000 datasets across 45 species, and...
By NASA Watch
Blog•Feb 21, 2026
Another Artemis II Issue Arises (Update)
NASA had slated a no‑earlier‑than‑March 6 launch for Artemis II, but an unexpected interruption in helium flow through the Space Launch System’s interim cryogenic propulsion stage forced the agency to consider rolling the rocket and Orion spacecraft back to the Vehicle Assembly...
By NASA Watch
Blog•Feb 15, 2026
Diving Under The Ice At Lake Untersee To Do Astrobiology
Astrobiologist Dale Andersen and his team are conducting under‑ice dives in Lake Untersee, Antarctica, to study extremophile microbes that could resemble life on icy worlds. The field season has faced variable weather, including snowstorms and 50 mph gusts, but the crew...
By NASA Watch
Blog•Feb 11, 2026
Some SMD Activities Paused Pending OMB Guidance
NASA Headquarters sent a memo to center CFOs ordering a pause on all new financial commitments for Science Mission Directorate projects funded by the SCEX22026D account in FY 2026, with payroll as the only exception. The hold, expected to last ten...
By NASA Watch
Blog•Feb 6, 2026
Workforce Directive: Restoring NASA’s Core Competencies
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman issued a Workforce Directive aimed at restoring the agency’s core engineering and operational competencies by reducing reliance on contractors. The plan calls for 30‑day assessments of outsourced work and a 60‑day transition strategy to convert key...
By NASA Watch
Blog•Jan 31, 2026
NASA Needs To Leverage Its Cool Tech Better
NASA’s Perseverance rover completed the first drive on another planet that was planned entirely by artificial intelligence, showcasing a breakthrough in autonomous space navigation. The mission leveraged Anthropic’s Claude AI models in collaboration with JPL, aligning with the White House...
By NASA Watch
Blog•Jan 30, 2026
Small Bodies Assessment Group: 34th SBAG Meeting Draft Findings
The Small Bodies Assessment Group released draft findings from its 34th meeting, urging NASA to preserve a regular cadence of planetary missions to sustain the expert workforce and avoid destabilizing the exploration portfolio. It calls for tighter coordination of ground‑based,...
By NASA Watch